Mistaken for Another
by Jaystar of NightClan
Summary: Twin brothers, Dustan and Gavin live with their uncle. It seems the boys are involved when Dustan's friend, Riley gets taken by the gobblers. Dustan seeks help from Riley's father, Billy Costa who tells him of a women who once defeated the gobblers. Dustan leaves to find her and unravels the truth to the lies his uncle had been feeding him and Gavin since their parents died
1. Chapter 1

"Dustan! Where are we going?" my daemon asked. She was currently in the form of a puppy. Her tail wagged back and forth with every stride she took.

"Hush Alianora, I want to surprise Gavin!" I scoffed, looking behind me to make sure my twin brother wasn't anywhere near. I motioned for my daemon to keep low and crawled on the ground until I reached a small hole in the hall. I struggled to get inside it, soon I would be too large to fit inside.

"How did we ever come across this." Alianora mumbled.

"Don't you remember? We were little. Gavin and me were only five. We had snuck out of the grounds and you and Luka we're telling us that we should go back. Gavin wasn't watching where he was going and he tripped. He fell against this wall and fell through. We found this cool place and it has been our hideout everyday since." I smiled.

"I remember now." Alianora laughed.

"Ali, go and watch for Gavin." I motioned for her to watch the entrance. She nodded, bounding over happily with her tail wagging.

"Dustan! He's coming!" she hissed. I hid behind one of the pillars, peeking only to see when my brother would appear.

"Dustan? Are you hear? Dustan I have something to tell you!" Gavin called.

"Are you sure you saw him turn in here?" I heard his daemon, Luka ask.

"I'm sure of it." he frowned, feeling around for the lights.

"Boo!" I smiled, jumping out at him. Gavin didn't even flinch.

"You are going to have to do more than that to scare me." he laughed.

"I'll get you next time." I grinned. I looked over to the mirror that was propped up against the wall, my brother and I looked exactly alike. We both had short, black hair. We had the same green eyes and we were the same height. People sometimes had trouble telling us apart. It was fun to pretend to be the other.

"That's what you said last time." Gavin laughed, ruffling my hair.

"I did not! Did I Ali?" I asked, turning to Alianora. She had changed into her weasel form and was now sitting on my shoulder.

"I don't remember you saying anything like that Dustan." she said.

"Of course Ali agrees with you, she's your daemon!" Gavin scoffed.

"Well Luka will always choose your side!" I retorted.

"I never said he wouldn't." Gavin said, grinning.

"What are you grinning about?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Dustan, it's funny when you get angry." he laughed.

"I'm not angry!" I scoffed.

"You were. I know it." Gavin said, punching me gently in the arm.

"How could you know? You don't know anything." I scoffed.

"I know that the Gobblers are getting closer to here." Gavin said in a low whisper as if one of them would jump out at us.

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"Well, some gyptian kids were taken not too far from here. It won't be long until they start taking kids from here too. They go after the gyptian and the servant kids mostly, but sometimes they just take any kid they find." Gavin told me.

"Well, them Gobblers won't be getting me. If they try to get me than Ali and me will make them wish they were never born!" I scoffed.

"And how do you expect to do that if they grab Ali from behind and hurt her? You'll be hurt too then there won't be anything you could do. That's how Riley reckons they do it. They torture your daemon until you can't fight back." Gavin explained.

"I won't let them hurt Ali." I told him.

"You won't have a choice, they'll grab her before you can stop them." Gavin insisted. I could feel Ali shudder in fear. I stroked her back gently to reassure her.

"Don't listen to him, Ali. I'll never let them get you, I promise." I said, hugging her. I could feel her heart beat against my own.

"But Gavin is right, what could you do if they got me?" Alianora mumbled.

"What about you? You couldn't do anything if they got Luka." I hissed.

"Well, I wouldn't be stupid enough to let them get Luka. He would be with me." Gavin insisted.

"Of course he would be with you. He's your daemon, that's kind of how it works." I scoffed.

"I meant on my shoulder, like he is now." Gavin retorted. Luka was in his mouse form, cowering on his shoulder.

"Well Ali will be on my shoulder too." I told him as she took her place.

"Whatever. Lord Darrius will be wondering where we are. We better get going." Gavin said, turning for the exit. I'll be right there!" I called over and walked to the back of the room.

"Dustan, what are we doing now?" Ali asked.

"I have to get the book. I left here last time by mistake. Ali, I can't leave it here. It's all Gavin and me have left of them." I insisted, lifting up all the books. I sighed when I found the one I was looking for. It was a leather book with a golden inscription on the front. I flipped through the pages, smiling. I loved flipping through the pages and looking at the photographs of when Gavin and me were young. The main reason for my interest in the book was because it held photographs of our parents. Our parents had died when Tartars attacked them on their trip. They were heading north, that's al we were ever told. No one liked to speak about them, so Gavin and me knew close to nothing about them. I barely even remembered them. I traced their faces with my finger on one of the photographs. They were holding Gavin and me in their arms. Luka and Alianora were in their mouse forms, we held them in our hands. Their daemons were at their side, my mother's a daemon was a wolf and my father's daemon was a tiger.

"Ali, do you remember them?" I asked.

"Remember who, Dustan?" she asked.

"My parents." I told her.

"No. I remember just as much about them as you do." she sighed.

"What about their daemons? Do you remember them?" I asked.

"No. The only thing I remember about their daemons is that they were scary, Luka and me never liked them because they scared us." Ali replied. I nodded.

"Dustan, we really should be going." Ali insisted.

"Alright." I sighed. I tusked the book under my arm and reached my hand out to her. She climbed up my arm and rested on my shoulder as I left our hideout.

"Dustan!" I smiled when I saw my friend, Riley. Her daemon, Rafender was in his dog form. He trotted over happily when he saw Alianora. She leaped from my shoulder and changed into a cat, I laughed when the two began chasing each other playfully.

"How are you doing, Riley?" I ask.

"I'm fine and you?" she smiles.

"I'm fine." I told her.

"What's that you got there?" she asked, pointing to the book. I gripped the book tighter, as if she was going to take it away from me.

"Come on Dustan, you've known me your whole life. You can trust me with whatever is in that book." Riley insisted.

"You're right. It's filled of photo's of my parents, that's all." I told her.

"I understand how important it must be to then." Riley said. I nodded.

"I really must be getting back, Lord Darrius will soon begin to wonder where I am if he hasn't already. I'll see you later than, Riley. Good bye!" I called over my shoulder. Ali said goodbye to Rafender before following me.

"Do you reckon he'll be angry with me?" I whispered to Alianora.

"I'd think so. We were gone an awful long time." Ali whispered back.

"I suppose we must face the punishment." I sighed, opening the front door.

"Alright, just remember that if you get hit I hurt too." Ali hissed.

"Master Dustan! Lord Darrius has been worried about he. He told me to send you to him as soon as you returned." One of the servants said, bowing her head. I nodded and began walking down the hall.

"Uh oh. You're going to get hit for sure." Ali shuddered. I stopped outside his door. I could hear him talking to someone else inside.

"Gavin, you are now old enough to take your father's place. It was my job to take over only until you were old enough to do so yourself. And now that time has come." I heard Lord Darrius say.

"What is he talking about?" Ali frowned. I pressed my ear against the door, straining to hear more of their conversation.

"Are you sure I am ready?" Gavin asked.

"Of course I'm sure." he told him.

"But what about Dustan?" Gavin asked.

"What about Dustan? He is still a child. He runs wild through the streets with the servants children and the gyptian children. He isn't close to becoming a mature adult like you have come to be." Lord Darrius scoffed. The words felt like someone had jabbed a spear through my body. _I'm not mature enough? Gavin and me are the same age! _


	2. Chapter 2

"When do I start?" Gavin asked.

"Immediately. To you, I am now only Uncle Darrius. You, are Lord Gavin." I could hear the proudness in his voice.

"And Dustan?" he asked.

"He is just Dustan. Nothing more, nothing less." said my Uncle.

"It isn't fair." I told Ali.

"What isn't?" Alianora asked.

"What my uncle is doing. Gavin isn't any more mature than I am! Gavin was running through this morning with the gyptian children!" I hissed.

"Dustan, perhaps it is for the better that it is Gavin and not you. Do you really want to be the ruler? All those rules you must follow, and how you must dress. Wouldn't you rather just be who you are now?" Alianora asked.

"You're right Ali. I don't care, Gavin can be the ruler. At least I can still have fun with my friends." I smiled, but I could tell I hadn't convinced her.

"Hello?" I asked, knocking on the door.

"It's Dustan." Gavin said.

"Come in, Dustan." my uncle beckoned. I took a deep breath before stepping into his office.

"Dustan, where were you?" he asked.

"I was playing with Riley and my other friends." I told him.

"Riley?" he frowned.

"A gyptian girl." Gavin explained. My uncle only nodded.

"Do you enjoy, playing with the gyptian children?" my uncle asked.

"Yes. They are my friends." I said firmly.

"I see. You see, that is why you are not ready to become ruler. Gavin will be ruler, he is ready. Now, Gavin why don't you and Dustan go to your room?" he suggested.

"Let's go Dustan," he sighed, grabbing my arm.

"What the hell was that?" I asked once we were walking up the stairs to our room.

"What?" he scoffed rubbing his shoulder. Luka was rubbing his shoulder too.

"You think I didn't hear what Lord Darrius said? Why you and not me?" I scoffed. I opened our bedroom door and sat on my bed. Before Gavin could notice I shoved the book under my pillow. I turned back just in time to see Gavin close the door and sit on his bed. Luka leaped onto the bed behind him.

"Because I am more mature than you are." Gavin insisted.

"You are not! Just this morning you were running with Riley and me through the streets!" I hissed.

"Whatever. I'm still more mature than you, according to Lord Darrius." Gavin retorted.

"How are you more mature than me? We are the same age! I was born a few minutes before you were! Luka hasn't even settled yet." I scoffed.

"Luka did settle though." Gavin said. I looked over to Luka, he was in his cougar form.

"Luka? You settled?" Alianora asked in astonishment.

"Yeah." he nodded.

"What made you choose a cougar?" Alianora asked, her voice full of excitement.

"Well, I thought me being in cougar form would be the best way to make sure nothing ever happened to Gavin." he purred.

"Maybe I'll be something like that." Alianora's voice trailed off. I could tell she was thinking of all the different forms she could take to protect me.

"Well, just because your daemon settled doesn't mean that you are more mature than me!" I snapped, stomping out of the room. I slammed the door behind me, almost catching Alianora's mouse tail. She changed into a weasel and climbed up my arm.

"You can't be angry with him. By the sounds of it, it wasn't his choice. It was Lord Darrius's choice." Ali said.

"It still isn't fair, Ali. He should have talk to both me and Gavin first before making the decision!" I sighed. I walked to the end of the white hallway and opened the window frame. I hung one leg out and then brought the other over it.

"Dustan, we're going to get in trouble." Ali scoffed.

"We've done it plenty of times before." I scoffed, jumping. Alianora turned into an eagle and flew over me. I landed feet-first on the roof. I stood and looked back up to the window to make sure no one had seen me jump.

"You need to be more careful Dustan! My feet hurt now." Alianora complained. I rolled my eyes at her. She complained about everything.

"Just come on, Ali. Riley will be waiting." I scoffed. I carefully placed my foot on the drain pipe and slid down. I fixed my shirt when I landed on the ground, Alianora transformed into a weasel and took her place on my shoulder. I shoved past people in the market place until I reached the boat place.

"Riley! Rafender!" I called.

"Hey Dustan! You know, Rafender and me didn't think you would come." Riley smiled, leaping off the deck of her families boat. I gave her a hug when she reached my side. I felt her arm wrap around my neck. I forgot everything that had made me upset earlier on in the day. All I could think about was Riley, who had been my best friend since I was little. She was there when I needed her, when my parents died. I didn't care that she was a gyptian and I was a royal, Riley was my best friend. No one could ever break that bond between us, not even Lord Darrius.

"Your my best friend, why wouldn't I come?" I scoffed, shoving her playfully.

"It's just that we thought Lord Darrius would have said you couldn't." Riley shrugged.

"I don't give a damn what Lord Darrius says. He isn't my father so he shouldn't pretend to be." I hissed.

"Maybe he isn't pretending to be your father," Riley suggested.

"What do you mean? He isn't my father, I'm sure of it." I scoffed.

"She didn't mean it like that. Riley just meant maybe he's just being your uncle." Rafender explained.

"Uncle or not I don't care. He should have asked me before he goes jumping to things." I hissed.

"What are you talking about, Dustan?" Riley asked.

"Well, I heard him and Gavin talking. Lord Darrius reckons Gavin is ready to become ruler. Not me though, he says I'm too immature because I run through the streets with," I stopped, looking over at Riley.

"With me. You can't be ruler because you run through the streets with me, a gyptian girl." she said softly.

"Riley, I don't care anymore. If being ruler means I can't be with my best friend than I don't want to be ruler." I told her.

"You're saying that now just because I'm here! I can tell when you're lying Dustan, I can see it in your eyes. You're lying now. It's my fault you can't be ruler." Riley sighed.

"Whatever, Gavin can be ruler. I have more than he will ever have anyways." I shrugged.

"And what's that?" she asked.

"A best friend." I said softly.

"I suppose. I just can't help but feel bad because I'm keeping you from becoming ruler." she sighed.

"Don't feel bad. Gavin is only ruler because Luka settled before Ali did. I don't want Ali to settle, not yet." I shook my head slowly.

"Okay. Then I suppose it isn't entirely my fault." Riley smiled.

"Riley!" I heard someone call.

"That's my mother. I wasn't supposed to come outside. I better go before she gets too angry, see you tomorrow?" she asked hopefully, scooping Rafender up from the ground.

"Yeah." I smiled. I watched her walk aboard her families boat and disappear before I turned away. Ali padded beside me in her cat form. I climbed the steps and slowly opened the door. the same servant from earlier was standing there.

"Master Dustan! You know you aren't supposed to be outside at this time of night. Lord Darrius would have you hit if he found where you were. I won't say anything, but please do be more careful." she sighed, taking my sweater from me.

"Thank you." I told her before walking up the stairs. I opened the door to my bedroom to find it was empty. _Gavin must be talking the Lord Darrius. _I walked over to my bed and felt under my pillow for the book. My heart raced as I felt nothing. I threw the pillows off my bed and there was nothing there.

"Ali, the book. It's gone." I cried.


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you looking for this, Dustan?" I turned around to see Gavin leaning up against the door frame. He held out the book. I sighed in relief that it was Gavin who had found it and not anyone else.

"Yes." I said calmly. I wanted to punch him for looking through my stuff but I tried to stay calm.

"I'm not stupid, I saw you out it under your pillow." Gavin smirked.

"Gavin, are you angry with me?" I asked.

"Am I angry with you? Of course I'm angry with you! You have photo's of our parents, and you never told me? I know why you have it, because you want to know more about them. You want to feel like you actually knew them. Well you know what Dustan? Did you ever think, even for a second that maybe I wanted to know more about them too? That I wanted to feel like I knew them? Of course not. You're the great Dustan who thinks only of himself. Maybe that's why Lord Darrius chose me, and not you. Did you think about that? Maybe he chose me because I think about others before myself. You can have the damn book Dustan. If I had found it I would have shown it to you right away." Gavin hissed, shoving the book in my hands.

"Gavin, I'm sorry. We can share it. I'll put over there, on that shelf. And we both look at it whenever we want." I said, turning towards the shelf.

"No. If you really wanted to share it you would have shown it to me awhile ago. Keep it." Gavin growled, walking out of the room.

"I feel bad Ali. Gavin is right, I was being selfish. I only thought about me, that I wanted to have the photo's of our parents. Gavin deserves to be ruler, not me." I sighed. I opened the book to the first page. It was a photo of when Gavin and me were just babies. Our daemons were tiny moths, hovering over us. I didn't know which one was me and Alianora.

"Well you should! Gavin is just hurt, that's all." Ali sighed.

"You're right. Ali, why was I so stupid! I should have shown it to him." I sighed. I closed the book and placed it back on the shelf.

"You can apologise." Ali suggested.

"You're right. Let's go and do it now." I smiled, jumping off my bed. I landed on my feet. I stepped out into the hallway and glanced around. I heard Gavin's voice coming from down the hall.

"Gavin?" I called.

"It's _Lord _Gavin. What do you want Dustan?" Gavin hissed.

"Fine, _Lord _Gavin. I wanted to say I'm sorry about the book." I spat the first part in disgust.

"You think I still care about some silly book? Honestly Dustan, only a child like yourself would stay angry over such a stupid thing." Gavin retorted.

"Silly book? It's the only thing we have left of our parents! I'm no more of a child than you are! Gavin, don't forget that I'm older than you!" I scoffed.

"Dustan, why don't you go to sleep? You can play with the other children in the morning. I have some business to discuss with our uncle." Gavin said mockingly before walking away. I caught Luka smirking at Alianora before following behind Gavin.

"Who does he think he is to speak to us like we're little kids?" I hissed.

"Ruler I suppose." Alianora shrugged. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"But the looks of it, I guess that wasn't a question to be answered." she said softly.

"Have you thought about what you want to be?" I asked her, sitting on the steps.

"I don't know. I don't want to settle, not yet. I like changing to whatever I like." she sighed. To prove her point, she switched from animal to animal. A robin, then a monkey, followed by a dog and a snow tiger before switching back to a weasel.

"Is that what you're going to be? A weasel? You seem to take that form a lot." I asked. She crawled onto my shoulder.

"I don't know. I don't really like to think about it." she shrugged. I nodded, I could tell she didn't want me to bring it up again.

"Master Dustan, shouldn't you be in bed?" One of the servants asked.

"No. I'm older than Gavin, so don't you dare treat me like a child." I hissed standing up. Her dog daemon was cowering behind her.

"I'm sorry Master Dustan." she said, dipping her head.

"I'm sorry. I'm just sick of everyone treating me like a child because Gavin is ruler." I apologised.

"I understand Dustan, I have an older sister." the servant smiled before walking away.

"But I'm older than Dustan!" I called after her but she didn't reply.

"Why does everyone think Gavin is older." I hissed.

"I think it's because your uncle Darrius made him ruler. They think he's older because he became ruler and you didn't." Alianora suggested.

"I suppose. Come on Ali, it's getting late." I sighed, getting to my feet. I walked down the hallway and stepped into the large room I shared with Gavin. I turned off the light and climbed into my bed. Alianora lay at my feet in her dog form.

"Ali, let's get on thing straight. I'm not going to sleep because Gavin told me to, I'm going to sleep because I'm tired and I want this night to end. I want it to be tomorrow so I can hang out with my friends, alright?" I yawned. Within moments I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

"Gavin, why didn't you tell me that our uncle chose you for ruler? Surely he talk to you before that." I asked.

"He did." Gavin said, bringing his glass of water to his lips.

"Why didn't you tell me then? You could have in our hideout." I asked.

"But I tried, don't you remember? I told you I had something to tell you and then you tried to scare me. And then I just kinda forgot until I got home." Gavin shrugged.

"Whatever, I'm leaving." I sighed, walking over to the door.

"And where exactly are you going, Dustan?" Gavin hissed as I opened the front door.

"Why does it matter, brother?" I scoffed.

"To the marketplace, I assume. To run around with those children you call friends." Gavin retorted, sitting down on the stairs.

"At least I have friends." I snapped.

"Who needs friends when you're ruler?" Gavin laughed. I rolled my eyes and without another word I stepped outside. I walked though the marketplace, saying hello to the familiar faces. I stopped at the bench beside the garden and waited.

"Hello Dustan. You're here early, you're normally late." Riley smiled. Rafender was sitting on her shoulder as a mouse.

"Well, Gavin was being obnoxious and I couldn't wait to get out of the there." I told her.

"He can't be that bad." Riley scoffed.

"No, he's horrible." I scoffed.

"Come on, let's go find Molly, Brandon and Travis." Riley said, pulling me to my feet.

"It's 'bout time you two showed up. We've been waiting for ages." Travis scoffed when we reached the empty alley way where we were to meet up with them.

"We were not Travis, don't lie. We only just got here." his daemon scoffed.

"I see you managed to get out of the kitchen. does your mother know where you are?" Riley narrowed her eyes. Travis is the youngest of all of us, he's only ten.

"Of course not! My mother doesn't want me hanging out with older kids. She would prefer for me to play with kids my age, but I like you guys more." Travis smiled.

"Sorry we're late!" I heard a girl call.

"It's alright, Molly. Is your brother coming?" I asked.

"Brandon should be along any moment." Her daemon said, grooming his cat fur.

"What about _your_ brother, Dustan? Is Gavin going to come along?" Travis asked.

"No." I shook my head.

"Why not? Is he ill?" Molly frowned.

"In his head he is! My uncle Darrius told him he's to be ruler, and now he thinks he's too good to hang out with gyptians and servants." I scoffed.

"Well, it's his loss than." Molly's brother, Brandon hissed.

"Why are you late? You were right behind us." Molly frowned.

"I had to make up an excuse to our mother about why we were leaving the house so early. You know she doesn't like us playing with servants, gyptians and royals." Brandon said.

"It appears out parents never like who our friends are." Molly sighed.

"Tell me about it. My uncle is always giving my lectures about how royals shouldn't running through the streets with gyptians and servants." I laughed.

"They need to understand that it's up to us who our friends are, not them." Riley agreed.

"Well come on, the kids on the north side of town have declared war on us. They say we must meet them by the river, were going to have the battle there." Travis said eagerly.

"Are the other kids going to meet us there?" I asked.

"Yes." Molly replied.

"Then let's go!" Brandon exclaimed.

"Look here, Farid. The south kids were brave enough to show their faces." Wesley, a north town kid retorted.

"It is you who is lucky to show your faces." I growled, stepping forward.

"What is this? A royal is among the south town kids." Farid scoffed.

"So?" Riley hissed.

"So a royal doesn't belong in this battle." Wesley retorted.

"Don't tell me where I belong. I am a south town kid, so my place is here." I hissed.

"What does it matter if he is a royal or not? Royal or not, Dustan fights with us." Riley growled.

"Whatever." Wesley scoffed.

"Are we going to start this battle or not?" Travis asked.

"Okay. But I shall warn you first, you're going down. Any last words?" Farid asked.

"What are you children doing? Wesley! Are you starting fights? Enough of this! Go home, all of you!" a women growled at everyone.

"Next time, they'll be no interruptions. You better watch your backs." Fared growled into my ear before following my friends.

"We would have beat them if his mother never showed up." Travis scoffed.

"See you later!" I called to the other south kids. Brandon, Molly, Travis and Riley walked beside me as we walked closer to the river. We watched the other children leave, it wasn't long until we were alone.

"Riley, yesterday Gavin said, you told him you reckon that the Gobblers torture your daemon's to capture you, is that true?" I asked.

"Yes. It's makes sense." she shrugged.

"Well, I won't let them touch Ali." I sighed.

"You know Dustan, my mother doesn't like me playing with you. She reckons you would hand me over to them gobblers any chance you got." Riley laughed.

"I would never do that to anyone!" I scoffed.

"Ali and me are going to make sure no north town kids strayed behind." I said, getting to my feet. I walked around the great oak tree.

"Help!" I heard Riley scream. My heart pounded as I raced back to my friends. Ali turned into a cougar so she could attack whatever had our friends. Four men in black had thrown a net over my four friends, and they struggles to get out. Their daemon's were beside them but they couldn't get free either.

"You may leave now. You've done your job. Thank you for helping us catch the children." the largest man smiled. It took me and the others one second to figure out that he was talking to me.


	4. Chapter 4

"What is he talking about?" Travis whispered from under the net. He was holding his daemon close to his chest so they couldn't rip her from his grasp.

"I don't know! I swear I don't know what they are talking about!" I told them. _Why didn't they get me? Why them and not me? _

"Look at him, he's too proud to admit that he set them up." one of the gobblers laughed.

"We trusted you. We trusted you and you set us up. My mother was right, I shouldn't have trusted a royal." Riley hissed. Rafender lashed his tail angrily. I couldn't see a sign of fear in Riley's face, only anger.

"Molly, Brandon. You have to believe me, you must! I didn't do what they said I did." I shook my head slowly, trying to make sense out of it. I ran over to the net, and tried to free my friends.

"Stay away from us! I would rather go with the gobblers than be here with you!" Brandon hissed, kicking me roughly. I fell backwards, holding my stomach in pain.

"Stay back." one of the men in black hissed, pinning my to the ground. I could feel his big hands crushing my shoulders.

"Riley, you've known me all your life. You have to believe me when I tell you I didn't do this." I pleaded.

"I can't." Riley whispered. I felt like someone had torn my daemon away. I looked at Alianora for confirmation that she was still there. She was in her cougar form, growling at the men who were picking up the net. All I could do was watch as they carried my friends away.

"You need to learn to control your emotions. They deserve what they're getting, why do you care anyways? I'm looking forward to working with you in the future. You'll be a fine ruler. You make this job almost too easy. Thanks Lord Gavin." he said, releasing me. I sat there, crying. I watched him become a speck in the distance. _I should have done something. I shouldn't have let them take Riley and the others away. _

"Dustan." Alianora said, trying to get me to my feet.

"I let them get taken away." I whispered, more to myself than to her.

"Dustan they held you back." Alianora scoffed.

"Not at first they didn't. I could have gotten them away before they got to me." I snapped. I watched her flinch.

"I'm sorry Ali. I just don't know what to do." I sobbed into my hands.

"Dustan, that man. He called you Gavin." Alianora whispered.

"He must have thought you were Luka. Ali, he said I would be a nice ruler and that he looked forward to working with me in the future. Do you know what that means?" I asked.

"Gavin is running the gobblers." Alianora shuddered.

"I'm going to talk to him. There has to be some mistake." I said, getting to my feet.

"I hope you're right." Alianora sighed. She padded beside me until we reached our house. Slowly, I opened the front door. I could see Gavin, standing in the kitchen. He had his back to me. Swiftly I walked over to him and shoved him hard. He didn't expect it and he fell to the floor.

"What the hell are you doing, Dustan?" Gavin hissed, climbing to his feet.

"I could ask you the same thing, brother." I spat the word _brother_ in disgust.

"Tell me Dustan, what is troubling you?" My brother asked.

"_You_ are troubling me, Gavin. I ran in to your men today. How could you set up Riley and the others? They trusted us, they are our friends." I hissed.

"No Dustan, they are your friends. They mean nothing to me. They are servants, gyptians and poor children. What does it matter what happens to them anyways?" Gavin scoffed.

"Brother you are a heartless monster!" I spat before running upstairs. I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling.

"What are we going to do, Dustan?" Alianora asked.

"I don't know Ali." I sighed.

"We aren't just going to leave them, are we?" she scoffed.

"No! Of course not." I exclaimed. _I need to prove to them that I am their friend, not their enemy. It wasn't me that set them up, Gavin did. _

"Why don't we go to the gyptians? They would help us! They would do anything to get Riley back, same as us!" Alianora suggested.

"Ali! That's perfect! Let's go now, we could possibly catch up to those gobblers!" I smiled, getting to my feet.

"Dustan, they wouldn't let us walk out the front door." Alianora said.

"We'll go out the window then." I decided.

"Fine by me." Alianora shrugged.

"Wait, I'm not going to leave the book here." I said, picking it up off the shelf. I tucked it under my arm and walked to the end of the hallway. I swung on leg out the window, followed by the other one.

"Dustan! You'll hurt yourself if you jump out with that book. Let me carry it." Alianora suggested, turning into a pelican. I nodded, placing the book in her beak. I leaped, landing on my feet.

"Come on Ali! We need to hurry!" I called. Alianora swooped down, changing into a weasel beside me. The book was at her paws. I smiled, picking up the book delicately.

"Let's go Dustan, we must rescue Riley, Brandon, Molly and Travis!" Alianora insisted. I nodded. I began running down through the market, towards the docks.

"Please! We need your help!" I called to the gyptians who were walking around.

"What do you need?" asked one of them. She was the only gyptian who didn't ignore me.

"I am looking for the parents of Riley Costa." I told her.

"I am Riley's father." said a man. The woman walked away, leaving me and Riley's father to talk.

"Mr. Costa." I said.

"Please, call me Billy." he smiled.


	5. Chapter 5

"Billy, they took her. I'm so sorry! I didn't know!" I cried. I didn't even bother to try to hide my tears.

"Whoa, calm down. What happened?" Billy asked, placing both of his hands on my shoulder.

"Them gobblers took Riley and the others." I sobbed.

"They got her?" he asked in disbelief.

"I'm so sorry." I cried.

"Calm down, boy. Tell me what happened." he said softly.

"We were down by the river, we were going to battle the north town kids but one of the parents split it up. We stayed at the river, just Riley, Travis, Brandon, Molly and me. I went to check if any north town kids strayed behind. As soon as I left their side the gobblers came. The captured them in a net." I sniffled.

"Why did they get our Riley and not you?" a woman, Riley's mother growled.

"They thought I was my brother, Gavin. He became ruler and I only just found out that one of the things he rules is the gobblers." I told them.

"I always told her never to trust a royal and I was right. Look where that got her." Riley's mother hissed, storming away.

"Don't listen to her, she's never liked anyone who isn't gyptian. Truth is, I used to be like Riley when I was her age. The gyptian children were never enough to play with, I would play with a servant boy and this girl who lived at the college. We'd have mud wars and play gobblers all the time. But then I was taken by them gobblers along with the servant boy. I didn't think I would ever get away." Billy sighed.

"How did you? Get away, I mean." I asked curiously.

"Well, the girl saved me. She came there, and rescued all of us." Billy smiled.

"Then it is possible, to get the kids out of there?" I asked hopefully.

"It was possible, where the old place was. I reckon they are being more careful now, they don't want a repeat of last time." Billy said.

"What happened last time?" I asked.

"Well, it was destroyed. The girl blew it up so they couldn't continue with their work, but it appears they did continue, just in a different place." he sighed.

"Billy, what exactly do they do there?" I asked.

"An intersision." he shuddered.

"What is an intersision?" I frowned. I looked at Ali, who was on my shoulder but she only shrugged.

"They cut your daemon away." he said quietly.

"That's terrible!" I exclaimed.

"It almost happened to me and my Ratter, I'm just lucky that my friend saved me and the others before it did." Billy said, stroking his daemon's fur.

"Well, we're going to get Riley and the others before it happens to them." I declared.

"You really do care about Riley, what did you say you name was?" Billy asked.

"I didn't. I'm Dustan. Dustan Belacqua." I replied.

"Belacqua? Any relation to Lyra Belacqua?" Billy asked.

"No. I've never heard of a Lyra Belacqua. Who is she?" I asked.

"She was the girl who rescued me and the other kids." Billy explained.

"Do you know where we can find her? She could help us!" I told him.

"I haven't heard from her in fourteen years." Billy shook his head.

"Do you know anywhere where she could have gone?" I asked.

"There's one place I can think. She may have gone north, to visit Iorek Burnison." he told me.

"This man would know where she is?" I asked.

"Iorek is no man. Iorek Burnison is an armored bear." Billy laughed.

"An a-armored bear?" Alianora shuddered.

"Yes. Last I heard he is the king of the armored bears." Billy said.

"Well, we should go north then. She can help us." I said.

"I'll go and tell Lord Faa." he said.

"Are you sure he would help us?" I asked nervously.

"Lord Faa helped Lyra rescue me. He would do it for Riley and the other gyptian children that were taken." Billy said as I watched him disappear into the cabin.

"Aren't you Riley's friend?" a little girl asked. She looked almost identical to Riley, only younger. She was holding her daemon, a tiny ferret tightly in her arms.

"Yes. You're Riley's little sister, right? I'm Dustan, what's your name?" I asked.

"My name is Heather. I'm only four. How old are you?" she asked.

"I'm fourteen." I told her.

"You're the same age as Riley." Heather giggled.

"Where is Riley, and Rafender?" Heather's daemon frowned.

"They will be back soon. Heather, why don't you and Hanter go and play?" I hadn't noticed that Billy had come back.

"Okay. Bye Dustan!" Heather smiled, skipping away. She had put her daemon down and he now run along side her as a fox cub.

"Well? What did Lord Faa say?" I asked hopefully.

"We're going north." Billy grinned.

"That's great!" I sighed in relief.

"Come on Dustan, you must be tired after all that's happened today." Billy said, leading me into a small cabin. There was a small cot and a tiny dresser on the inside.

"This is Riley's room, you can stay here." Billy said. He glanced around the room as if his daughter would appear in front of him. I watched him disappear before I lay down in the cot. I placed the book on the dresser and stared at the ceiling. I closed my eyes and thought about what Riley had said.

"Don't worry Dustan, we'll find Riley and the others. We'll get to them before they cut their daemons away." Alianora whispered but I was already asleep. I started dreaming.

_"Will you please take them? I can't bring them with me where I'm going. As much as I'm going to miss them, they must stay here." said a woman. Her face was a blur and I didn't recognise her voice._

_"Are you sure you can't bring them? They should be with their real parents." another woman insisted. I didn't recognise her voice either._

_"They could never grow up properly where I am going. They could never have battles with other children, or play in the river with their friends and daemons. They could never fully be children where I am going. Their daemons would fade and I don't want Alianora and Luka to fade on Dustan and Gavin. They need to grow that bond between a child and their daemon. I want them to grow up where I did, but I can't stay here. Raise Dustan and Gavin like you would have raised Annabelle. Tell them that I do love them, I really do. I just can't bring them with me." said the woman._

_"We will have to tell Dustan and Gavin the truth someday, if the boys choose that they want to go searching for you someday we will not stop them. I know how hard it must be for you, I could never bear the thought of someone else raising our Annabelle." said a man who had remained silent this whole time. Just like the other two, I couldn't recognise his voice._

_"I know you will have to tell eventually, just wait for them to be old enough to understand. It is hard to leave them behind but I know I can not take them with me, surely you must understand?" said the woman._

_"No, we do not understand why you are leaving Dustan and Gavin behind, only that it is what you must do. We will take care of them as if they were truly ours, but promise us something." said the other woman._

_"Anything. You do not know how truly grateful I am to you. Whatever it is, I'll do it. I know Dustan and Gavin will be safe with you." said the woman._

_"You must promise that on Dustan and Gavin's fifteenth birthday, you will return. On their fifteenth birthday you have to come back for them, you will tell them everything. The reason you left them behind. You will take them with you, and they will be your boys again. They will always be your boys, but when they are fifteen Dustan and Gavin will know that they are your boys." said the woman._

_"I promise. No matter where I am in fifteen years, I will come back for them." said the woman._

"Dustan!" I awoke to see Alianora sitting on my chest as a cat. Her eyes were wide.

"What is it, Ali?" I asked.

"Did you have that same dream?" she asked.

"Yes. Who were those people?" I asked.

"Well, I think two of them were your parents." Alianora whispered.

"What about that other woman? The one who gave us away?" I asked.

"I think she is yours and Gavin's real mother." Alianora whispered back.

"If she is, why did she leave me and Gavin behind? Didn't she want us?" I sighed, staring at the ceiling.

"I don't know Dustan. All I know is that she is coming in three days to get you and Gavin." Alianora whispered. The thought of my real mother who had given us away all those years ago both made me happy and angry.


	6. Chapter 6

"Dustan please wake up!" I heard Alianora plead. I slowly opened my eyes to see her standing on my chest like she had done before in her cat form.

"Oh Dustan! I was afraid you would never wake up!" Alianora cried.

"What are you talking about?" I scoffed, sitting up. I held my head in my hand because I was light-headed.

"Dustan, you've been asleep for three days." Alianora scoffed.

"Ali, don't mess with me." I hissed.

"I'm not messing with you Dustan! I've been trying to wake you! You really had me scared, I thought you would never wake up. Don't scare me like that again." Alianora cried, she nuzzled my cheek softly.

"I can't be believe I've been asleep for three days. Are you sure it's been three days?" I asked.

"Yes! I wouldn't lie to you Dustan, you know that." Alianora scoffed.

"Of course I know that. But are you sure it's been three days? If you've been up all night it could seem like three days." My voice trailed off.

"Dustan, it has been three days! We're practically in the north!" Alianora scoffed. I got out of bed immediately. I picked the book up from the dresser. Slowly, I opened the cabin door. I felt a cold chill down my spine as I stepped onto the deck.

"Dustan, we're in the north. You should dress properly, you'll catch a cold!" Billy scoffed. He handed me a warm coat and a pair of boots.

"Thank you." I smiled. I put the book safely on the inside of my coat. It was big enough to fit in one of the inside pockets.

"You're going to need them, we have a walk ahead of us until we reach the kingdom of Iorek Burnison." Billy said. I nodded, and followed him to a group of gyptians.

"These are the men who will come with us, we shall have to walk." Billy said.

"How do you think it will take, to get to the kingdom?" I asked.

"Half a days walk if we leave now." Billy said.

"Then let's get going. We can't waste any time." I said.

"You are completely right." Billy smiled. I traveled behind Billy as we left the boat.

"It's going to be a long walk, Dustan." Alianora sighed.

"It could be longer." I shrugged. All I could see was large amounts of snow everywhere. My feet soon got tired and Alianora got heavy on my shoulder. She would switch every now and then, she would become a bird and fly beside me, or a wolf and trot along at my side. Or a cricket and sit on my shoulder.

"Who are you and what do you want?" I heard someone growl. I pushed through the group of men to the front. In front of me was an armored bear.

"We are looking for Iorek Burnison." Billy told him.

"Who is looking for him?" the bear asked.

"Dustan Belacqua." I answered before Billy could reply.

"Are you, Dustan Belacqua?" the bear asked me.

"Yes. Do you know where we can find Iorek Burnison?" I asked.

"I am Iorek Burnison." the bear replied.

"Iorek Burnison, do you know of a woman named Lyra Belacqua?" I asked.

"Yes. Are you her son?" Iorek asked.

"No." I replied.

"Why are you looking Lyra?" he asked.

"She has defeated the gobblers before. We need her help to defeat them again." I answered.

"She came by here today. She left no long before you showed. She had to go pick up something." Iorek said.

"Could we still catch up to her?" I asked.

"Walking, no. But you could ride me to find her. I'll carry the boy and his daemon." said Iorek.

"I'm not sure about this." Billy said cautiously.

"We're wasting time." I hissed.

"The boy will be safe with me." Iorek insisted.

"Alright Dustan, go quick." Billy said. He helped me onto Iorek's back.

"Hold on tight boy." Iorek said, he began to run.

"Ali, be a mouse. You can stay in my pocket." I told her. She nodded reluctantly, climbing into my coat pocket. I saw a small speck in the distance.

"Is that her?" I asked hopefully.

"I'm positive that it is." Iorek replied. As we got near the speck got bigger until it was clear that is was a person. Iorek Burnison let out a loud roar that made the person turn around. It was indeed a girl. Her daemon was at her side.

"Iorek." she smiled.

"Lyra, this boy here would like to speak with you." Iorek said.

"Boy?" Lyra frowned. I climbed off Iorek's back and stood to face her.

"I've come this way to find you." I told her.

"Why are you looking for me? I've somewhere I need to be. I'm already late." she narrowed her eyes.

"Because I heard you once took down the gobblers." I replied.

"Yeah. That still doesn't explain why you're looking for me." Lyra scoffed.

"My friends and some other kids were taken by the gobblers." I told her.

"What do you mean? I destroyed all their equipment!" she hissed.

"Well, it's been awhile since then. They must have continued their work somewhere else. I came looking for you because I was told you took them down once. I was hoping you could help me take them down again. Please! They took my best friend, Riley Costa." I pleaded.

"Costa?" she asked.

"Yes. Riley Costa. The daughter of Billy Costa." I told her.

"I know Billy Costa." she mumbled.

"He's the one who told me about you. He says that you saved him from the gobblers once, and if anyone could help my save his daughter it is you." I told her.

"I'll help you." she sighed.

"Thank you. You don't know how grateful I am." I sighed in relief.

"Where's your daemon?" Lyra's daemon frowned.

"What? Oh! Ali's right here." I told him. Alianora poked her head out of my coat pocket.

"This is my daemon, Pantalaimon. What did you say yours was called?" Lyra asked.

"Ali. Her name's Alianora but I just call her Ali." I smiled.

"Alianora?" Lyra asked in disbelief.

"Yes. That is her name." I nodded.

"Excuse me but, what is your name?" she asked.

"My name is Dustan Belacqua." I told her.

"Lyra, he's one of them!" Pantalaimon gasped.

"One of what?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Do you have any siblings?" Pantalaimon asked. Lyra seemed to be speechless.

"Yes. I have a twin brother. His name is,"

"Gavin. Your brother's name is Gavin." Pantalaimon interrupted.

"Yes, that is his name. How could you know that?" I frowned.

"His daemon's name is Luka, am I correct?" Pantalaimon asked, ignoring my question.

"Yes. How do you know that?" I asked again.

"It's him, Lyra. You didn't need to go and find him, he's found you." Pantalaimon laughed.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Dustan! The dream!" Alianora whispered.

"Ali, what day is it?" I asked her.

"April Nineteenth, Dustan. It's your fifteenth birthday." Alianora's eyes widened.

"You were going to Oxford, weren't you? That's where you were going." I told Lyra.

"Yes." she replied.

"You coming for me and Gavin. It's our fifteenth birthday, the day you swore you would return for us." I said.

"Yes. I suppose you were told about it." Lyra sighed.

"No. I had a dream. You gave me and Gavin away to a married couple. They were to raise us, and you promised them on mine and Gavin's fifteenth birthday you would return and take us back." I told her.

"Some dream." Pantalaimon retorted

"Pan, be nice." Lyra scoffed.

"That is what happened, isn't it?" I asked her.

"Yes." she sighed.

"Why?" I asked.

"Why what?" she asked.

"Why did you leave me and Gavin behind?" I asked.

"Because I wanted you to grow up where I did." Lyra explained.

"But why couldn't you stay with us? couldn't you have waited till we were old enough?" I asked.

"I had to be with your father." Lyra sighed.

"My father? Where is my father?" I asked her.

"He's dead, Dustan." I swung my head around to see Gavin and our uncle.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"Can't I wish my brother a happy fifteenth birthday?" Gavin said innocently.

"To make sure you don't shut down the General Oblation Board." our uncle growled. Luka was sitting at Gavin's side. By the looks of it, he didn't look to happy with what they were doing.

"Gavin, you aren't the true ruler." I told him. Gavin looked at our uncle.

"You are the true ruler, Gavin. Don't listen to Dustan, he's just jealous that it is you and not him." he told him. Gavin nodded reluctantly.

"No Gavin, you aren't. Listen to me please! I'm your twin brother." I pleaded.

"You're jealous, Dustan. You've always been jealous of me." Gavin growled.

"No! I'm not jealous of you! Uncle, who was Annabelle?" I asked him. Gavin raised his eyebrows curiously at him.

"Annabelle? She was no one. Absolutely no one. What did this woman tell you, Dustan? She isn't your mother." Our uncle spat, pulling me closer to him. Iorek Burnison growled, warning him not to make another move.

"He never said anything about being our mother, where did that come from?" Gavin asked.

"Annabelle was no one." he hissed, ignoring Gavin's question.

"She was his niece. She died from an accident when she was three, you boys weren't even one yet so you wouldn't remember her." Lyra said.

"So, our sister? We were never told we had an older sister. Why is that Uncle?" Gavin asked.

"We didn't. They weren't our real parents, he isn't our uncle. He's just Darrius." I told him.

"Don't listen to Dustan, he's only jealous of you. He's always been jealous of you, Gavin." Darrius told him.

"You're just jealous that I'm ruler and you aren't." Gavin hissed.

"Dustan, you're coming with us." Darrius said.

"No, I'm not." I scoffed.

"You will come with us, Dustan!" Darrius growled. He leaped forward and snatched Alianora from my shoulder.

"Please! Let my daemon go!" I pleaded.

"You're coming with us Dustan." Darrius spat, I winced in pain as he squeezed Alianora tightly.

"Let his daemon go." Lyra hissed.

"No." Darrius smirked, squeezing Alianora harder. I fell to my knees in pain. I couldn't breath, he was slowly crushing my lungs.

"Please! Just let her go!" I coughed. I could see Alianora squirming in his hand in the corner of my eye. Luka leaped at Darrius, loosening his grip on Alianora. She fell to the ground and raced to me.

"Ali!" I cried, holding her close to me.

"Gavin, control your daemon!" Darrius spat, kicking Luka hard in the stomach. I watched my brother fall over in pain.

"Luka! You shouldn't have interfered!" Gavin hissed, getting to his feet. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and I know he is fighting tears.

"I don't care what you say, Gavin. How can you just stand by and watch while he is choking Dustan? He's your brother!" Luka spat.

"Luka, we just need to stay out of it." Gavin sighed.

"Dustan, you are coming with us." Darrius said, grabbing my arm. I held Alianora away from him, clutching her tightly as he dragged be to my feet.

"Leave the boy alone." Iorek Burnison growled. Darrius released me and slowly walked backwards. I felt Lyra's arms wrap around me protectively.

"Gavin, come along." Darrius hissed. Gavin quickly began walked behind him. He glanced back one final time. I walked forward until I was face-to-face with him.

"Happy Birthday, Dustan. I didn't know it was going to happen like that, he told me we were only going to get you and leave. Uncle Darrius said nothing about torturing Ali to get to you. I swear, Dustan. I didn't know. I'm glad Luka did what he did, I'm sorry brother." Gavin placed a piece of paper in my hand before turning around and following Darrius. I watched him disappear in the distance.

"Are you alright?" Lyra asked, her voice quivering in worry.

"I'm fine." I told her. I opened the piece op paper and read the words out loud.

"_You'll find Riley and the others west of Oxford." _I read.

"That isn't far from my old home." Lyra said.

"Good. Then let's go. We can't waste any more time." Iorek said. I nodded and glanced back in the direction Gavin had disappeared. _You aren't so heartless after all. _


	7. Chapter 7

"Come on Dustan! We're already home! It won't be long now." Alianora purred, nudging my cheek gently.

"Ali, I'm tired." I panted. We had been walking for hours. Iorek had carried me most of the way. It felt like I was going to collapse any moment now.

"Don't worry Dustan, we'll get there." Lyra reassured me. She had been pushing me to keep going, making comments about how tall Gavin and me had gotten. She kept telling me that we looked a lot like our father, but every time I asked her who he was she switched the subject around, asking me about my life growing up in Oxford. She asked a lot of questions about Riley. She asked how we met, about all the battles we had with the North town kids, and all the times we raced through the streets throwing tomatoes at people. I enjoyed telling her about it, it was nice to escape back to when Riley and the others still trusted me, still thought I was her best friend. It hurt to think that she hated me.

"It's alright Dustan. She will have to believe that it wasn't us that set her up when we save them." Alianora told me. I nodded, but I know I didn't convince her.

"Lyra, what are we looking for, exactly?" I asked, trying to get my mind on something else.

"It's kind of hard to tell. Last time, it was this huge building with fences all around it. There were lots of guards too. The only reason I got in was because I told them I was a lost child. That won't work anymore." Lyra sighed.

"I have an idea." Lyra's daemon, Pantalaimon grinned.

"What is it Pan?" Lyra asked hopefully.

"Well, the boy could pretend he was his brother. His daemon would just have to look like his brother's." Pantalaimon smiled.

"That could work! Ali, change into a cougar." I told her. She stood at my side, as Luka had with Gavin.

"It almost looks like we had taken your brother by mistake." Iorek Burnison laughed.

"That it could work. I'm sure it would!" I breathed in relief.

"Lyra?" Pantalaimon asked suddenly.

"What is it Pan?" Lyra asked.

"I think we have found the new Bolvanger." he gasped. I turned to see this huge dome-like structure with electrical fences in the distance.

"I think you are right Pan. It's much larger than the last one." Lyra whispered softly.

"Well, I'm going." I told them.

"Dustan, wait." Lyra grabbed my sleeve.

"What is it? I need to go! They could be cutting my friends daemon's away as we speak!" I spat.

"Be careful. It's dangerous. I don't want to lose you again." she sighed.

"I have to go." I told her. Without another word I began walking down the slope. I looked down to make sure Alianora was still in cougar form. I took a deep breath before approaching the fence.

"Who are you and what do you want?" One of the guards growled, looking me over suspiciously.

"I am D- Lord Gavin Belacqua. Ruler after my brother, Lord Darrius." I told him. I bit my bottom lip, hoping the didn't notice my mistake.

"I am truly sorry, Lord Gavin. I'm sure you'll be quite interested in our work." the guard smiled, opening the gate. _He doesn't know that I'm going to destroy it._ I followed him to the entrance where he left me with a short, bald man. He was wearing a lab coat so I guess he is one of the scientists.

"Right this way, Lord Gavin." he led me past vast of doors and hallways. _It will be impossible to find Riley and the others in this building! _

"You'll see that we have progressed majorly here. It took fifteen years to get back on track, but we won't keep our guard down this time." the man smiled. _Not if I have anything to do with it. _

"My uncle Darrius hasn't told me much about the work being done here, what exactly is it that you are doing? Am I allowed to watch or is that too much to ask?" I asked hopefully. _Maybe If I can understand how they work I can undo that. _

"Of course it isn't. Right this way, Lord Gavin. We shall tell one of the workers to bring us the next child so I can show you how it works. One moment please." the man said, walking away.

"Are you seriously doing this, Dustan? They have to go get another child! You know what they are going to do to this child, don't you? They are going to sever the child from their daemon, Dustan. And we'll have to stand there and watch this child being separated from their daemon and pretend we're okay with it!" Alianora growled.

"Ali, I don't know what I'm going to do. I have to know how the machine works if I'm going to do something about it." I sighed. _Alianora is right. I can't let them separate the child from their daemon but I don't know what else to do in order to stop them from doing what they are doing. _

"It isn't right Dustan!" Alianora cried.

"I know Ali, I know. I'll try to work something out." I told her as the man approached. He had a woman and a small boy at her side. The boy had his face in his daemon's fur.

"Now, come along Lord Gavin. I'll show you what it is that we do here." the man said cheerfully, leading the way down the hallway. I walked beside the child, feeling sorry for him.

"Is it going to hurt?" he asked. I gasped, that voice was familiar.

"Is something wrong, Lord Gavin?" the man asked, turning around.

"No. Nothing at all." I managed to force a smile.

"Alright then, follow me." he shrugged, leading the way once more. The worker walked behind me, leaving me and the little boy in the back.

"Travis." I gasped.

"Gavin?" he asked in disbelief.

"No. Guess again." I whispered.

"Dustan." Travis whispered confidently.

"Yes." I told him.

"Why are you here Dustan? You're the reason we're here." Travis scoffed. I looked ahead to make sure that the two adults weren't listening in on mine and Travis's conversation.

"Look, It wasn't who set you up. It was Gavin. The gobblers thought I was him or they would have taken me too." I whispered.

"If that's true than why are you here?" he asked.

"Tell me, have any of the others been taken away?" I asked, ignoring his question.

"Yes." he said, clutching his daemon tightly.

"Who?" I asked.

"I don't know the kids." he shrugged.

"I meant the ones that were caught with you." I told him.

"No, not Riley if that's what you mean." he smiled.

"What about Brandon and Molly? Travis, it's important." I told him.

"No. I'm the first out of us four." he told me.

"Okay." I sighed in relief. _I can't let them do this to Travis. Not a kid who looked up to me when he was growing up. They must have done this on purpose, they knew that 'Gavin' set him up to get him captured. They must have thought I would be satisfied to watch as they cut the small boys daemon away from him, the hatred for me growing in his eyes. _The thought made me sick, that they wanted me to watch. _Now I definitely have to stop them, before they cut Travis's daemon away. _

"Dustan, you never answered my question. Why are you here?" Travis asked.

"I'm here to free you and the others." I whispered.

"Really?" his face brightened, I could almost hear his heart beating rapidly.

"Yes. Travis, I want you to fight. Don't let them separate you and your daemon. It isn't just a small cut, they cut your daemon away from you. I wanted to come here before they got to you guys, but came too late. If I don't act soon then it will be too late to save you. Fight Travis, please." I whispered.

"I will. I won't let them take Kazul away from me. I promise." Travis smiled.

"Travis, you don't need to promise anything. It's me who should be promising you. Travis, I promise I won't let them do this to you. I promise I will help you and the others escape." I promised him.

"Here we are, Lord Gavin." the man smiled. I followed the man over to some machines while the worker grabbed Travis's arm roughly.

"Ouch! That hurts!" Travis cried. Kazul had turned into fly and was buzzing around Travis's head, out of reach of the two workers that were trying to catch her. _That's it, don't let them get you Kazul! _

"Get that boy!" the man growled. I gaped in horror as the worker slapped Travis across the floor, knocking him to the floor. Kazul fell the floor next to him. I bit my bottom lip as I watched the worker pick up Kazul and place her on one side of a mesh cage.

"No! I like my daemon! You can't separate us!" Travis cried, trying to grab hold of something.

"It's only a small cut." the worker tried to reassure him, dragging him to his feet.

"Travis!" I cried.

"You know this boy?" the man asked.

"Yes. He is the son of one of the servants at my home in Oxford. I used to watch him everyday. I knew I recognised him from somewhere, I just couldn't remember his name." I shrugged, stalling them. _I need to come up with an excuse why Travis should be placed in there. _

"My apologies, Lord Gavin. I had no idea you knew this boy. Do you wish to continue, or do you want me to release this boy?" the man asked, motioning for the worker to wait for my decision.

"Well, what is it for?" I asked casually. I shot Travis a reassuring look to tell him that there was no way he was going in there.

"It is a small cut to make dust go away from children." he said.

"I think Travis will be alright without the cut, he is just a small child after all." I told him.

"Of course, Lord Gavin. Marissa, please. Give the boy back his daemon." the man said. She frowned but did as he said. Travis hugged Kazul tightly when they gave her back to him.

"If you don't mind, I would very much like to escort Travis back to the other children. Surely it wouldn't be any trouble?" I asked hopefully.

"Of course it isn't, Lord Gavin. Just go straight to the end of the hall. It will be the two large doors in the left." the man smiled.

"Thank you, sir. Come along now, Travis. It is time you got back to the other children." I said, tugging him along.

"Thank you Dustan! It it weren't I wouldn't have Kazul. I take back everything I said. you aren't a traitor Dustan, I'm so sorry!" Travis cried, hugging my tightly once we were out of ear-shot of the man and the other workers.

"Travis, you're just lucky I arrived when I did. We need to find the others and then get out of here." I told him.

"I know the way out. I just never tried because I didn't know where to go. If we can get Riley, Brandon and Molly to come with us, then I'll show. I won't leave without them." Travis said.

"I would never leave them here." I promised.


	8. Chapter 8

"Do you want me to tell them you're here?" Travis asked as we peered into the room. Riley, Brandon and Molly were sitting alone at a small table in the back corner of the room. They kept looking back anxiously to the front door. Travis and me stood at the back expressions on their faces showed that they were worried about something. Travis noticed too.

"What are they worried for?" Travis frowned.

"You. They are worried about you." I told him.

"Why? I'm perfectly fine." Travis frowned.

"Travis, do the kids that they take away ever come back?" I asked him.

"No. I ain't never seen one that came back." he frowned.

"That's why they are worried about you, they think that ain't coming back." I told him.

"Well we better let them know I'm alright!" Travis scoffed, taking a step into the room.

"Lord Gavin!" Travis and me turned to see one of the workers.

"I didn't know you would be arriving today." she frowned.

"Well, I arrived a little earlier than planned." I told her. I was getting impatient, I wanted to talk to Riley, Brandon and Molly.

"Where is your uncle? I thought he would be with you." she narrowed her eyes.

"My uncle made a stop back in Oxford. He said he had something to take care of before he joined me here. I decided to come ahead of him, to learn a bit more about the place. My uncle Darius didn't tell me much." I shrugged, hoping it would be enough to convince her.

"Okay. Dustan, why don't you show this child back to his seat? He belongs with the other children." she said.

"I was just doing that." I told her, turning back to Travis. I froze as the realisation of her words sunk in. _She called me Dustan. She knows I'm not Gavin. _I took a deep breath and walked into the room, Travis at my side. I couldn't let her know that it had gotten to me.

"What are you doing here?" Brandon hissed when Travis and me approached their table.

"Travis!" Molly exclaimed, shoving me aside. I laughed as she hugged him tightly, if she hugged him any tighter his insides would pop out.

"Answer my question, Dustan. Why are you here?" Brandon repeated, I could almost feel the coldness in his voice.

"It wasn't me who set you up. Brandon, you have to believe me!" I pleaded. I frowned, realizing for the first time since I got to the table that Riley was no longer here.

"Brandon, he's telling the truth! It was Gavin who set us up. Dustan saved me." Travis told him, tugging on Brandon's sleeve.

"What do you mean?" Molly frowned.

"When they take the children out of the room, they cut their daemon's away. I was so scared! I fought so hard not to let them get me and my daemon separated but they managed to get me into the cage. I never thought I would ever be able to hold Kazel in my arms ever again, but Dustan talked them into letting me go." Travis explained, hugging Kazul tightly.

"Wait, what do they do when they take kids out of here?" Brandon's eyes widened.

"They cut their daemon's away." he repeated.

"Oh no!" Molly exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" I frowned.

"Before you brought Travis back, they took Riley away." Brandon said dreadfully.

"What?" Travis and me said at the same time.

"They took Riley away." Brandon repeated.

"We have to go get her!" I hissed.

"Master Dustan, will you come with us?" I turned to see the man who had told me to take Travis back to the other children standing behind me.

"You think I am my brother?" I laughed nervously, hoping that he buy it.

"No, I do not think you are your brother, Master Dustan. Your brother has just arrived with your uncle and they wish to see you, and your little friends." he replied, snapping his fingers. Immediately, workers appeared out of no where. It took me three seconds to realise what they were doing. They were going to cease our daemons.

"Don't let them get your daemons!" I hissed. Alianora turned into a moth and fluttered around in the air.

"Enough of this nonsense!" the man growled. "I have your friend, Riley Costa. If you all come nicely, I won't hurt her." I took a deep breath.

"Ali, be a mouse." I told her.

"What?" she frowned. "Dustan, if I don't resist then they will cut me away!" she growled.

"Ali, they have Riley and Rafender. We have to give up. They'll hurt them if we don't." I sighed. Without another word, she changed from a moth into a mouse and rested in my pocket. I could tell she wasn't happy about it. I turned to Travis, Brandon and Molly. They nodded and their daemons did the same.

"Good. Now that we understand each other, walk." the man hissed.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. "I've failed you. Billy, Iorek Burnison and Lyra, I have failed you all."


End file.
